Hanger



Aug. 27, 1940. HUFF 2,212,524

HANGER Filed Oct. 11, 1938 45 structure hereinafter.

Patented Aug. 27, 1940 UNITED; gsrArss' rarest FFlCE HANGER Clayton w. Huff, Ann Arbor, Mich. Application October 11, was, seriarne. 234,423 5 Claims. (or. 223 m) My invention relates to hangers, for hanging or suspending articles from fixed supports, of the type commonly used for hanging clothing.

The invention has for its object to provide an 5 eliicientconnecting means that may be readily connected to and released from articles.

The invention provides a pair of article-engaggaging elements having parts extending crosswise and biased angularly in opposite directions, 1 and a member surrounding and engaged by the said. parts at the point of crossing, and released. therefrom by movement of the end portions of the parts in directions opposite to that in which they are biased. I The invention also provides a locking member and a pair of clamping elements having crossing parts surrounded by the locking member at the crossing point the crossing parts biased by the pressure of the clamping elements in directions away from each other to produce engagement of the locking member with the crossing parts the crossing parts being released from engagement with the looking member by pressure and movement of the ends of the crossing parts of J the elements in directions opposite to that in which they are biased.

The invention particularly provides alocking member and a pair of clamping elements, each 3 iormed'of rigid and elastic parts, the rigid parts being biased by the elastic parts toward a certain angular relation with the elastic parts to normally engage the locking member, and which are released from the engaging member by movement 35 of the end portions of the rigid parts, located on either side of the locking member, toward each other.

The invention may be .contained in structures of different forms and the structures may be 40 varied in their details and still embody the invention. To illustrate a practical application of the invention, I have selected a clothing hanger as an example of the various structures that contain the invention and shall describe the selected The particular structure selected is shown in the accompanying drawing. Fig. 1 illustrates a perspective view of the hanger. Fig. 2 is an end view of the hanger showing the article-engaging elements in their 50' closed positions. Fig. 3 is an end view of the hanger showing the article-engaging elements 7 separated from each other. Fig. 4 illustrates an enlarged view of parts of the hanger, showing the article engaging elements in intermediate 55 positions relative to each other. Fig. 5 is a further enlarged sectional and broken view taken on the plane of the line d5 indicated in Fig. 4.

In the particular form of construction illustrated in the drawing, the, hanger I is provided with a pair of clam-ping elements 2 and l com- 5 prising the barsfi and ii and the rods l and 8. The bars are formed of elastic material, such as Wood, and bent centrally, as at 9, which produces a desired resiliency. The bars may be provided, at their ends, with felted surfaces It to fricr tionally engage articles which may be located intermediate the bars 5 andl.

The bars are centrally connected to the ends oithe rods l and.8., The rods are bent angularly with respect to the bars to locate the rods .crosswise to each other and dispose the felted end surfaces in opposed or article-clamping relation. The rods are connected to elastic parts it and I5. The elastic parts may be formed integral with the rods by flattening portions of the rods to render the said portions flexible. The rigid parts of the rods are bent angularly fromthe elastic parts it and i5, atthe points ll and ill, to dispose the parts. it and I5 substantially parallel when the crossing point of the rod'is near the juncture with the elastic parts.

The rods 7 and 8 of the clamping elements extend through a member that frictionally engages the surfaces of the rods near the point at which the rods cross. Preferably, the engaging member is in the form of a ring 20, which surrounds the rods l and'8. Movement of the bars 5 and 8 relative to each other, causes the rods to slide through the ring and vary the crossing pointof the rods and the space between the lower ends of the elastic parts it and I5, which is yield ingly resisted or coerced by the elastic parts.

The ends it; of the elastic parts I4. and 55 are connected to means for rigidly holding the said, 40 ends against material deflection when the rods are moved to spread the ends of the elastic parts, to which the rods are connected. I

The ring 20 has an inner diameter and a thickness to normally produce engagement with the rods '5 and 3. The normal angles at the points it and i8, where the rods and the elastic parts join, are slightly increased by reason of themgagement of each of the rods 1 and 8 at two points on the inner edge of the ring 2t, and on opposite sides of the'ring and in opposed relation with respect to the engagement of the ring by the other rod. Consequently, the rods are locked by the ring 26 and may be readily released from the ring and slida'blymoved through the ring by a relatively light pressure on the end portions of the rods, located on either side of the ring, toward each other, or by a relatively light pressure on the elastic parts.

If desired, the rods 1 and 8 maybe curved to reduce the extent of the deflection at the points I! and i8, and to enable free movement of the rods through the ring when their ends are pressed toward each other to release the rods, and also to enable use of a ring having a relatively large inner diameter, as compared to the diameters of the rods.

The bars 5 and 6 may be freely, manually moved toward and against each other, or against an article, if an article is located intermediate the bars. The rods, being released by the manual pressure, slip through the ring and are locked by the pressure counter to that exerted in pressing the bars against each other or against the article. The article is, thus, tightly clamped and rigidly secured by the ring 2d. The article 'is held with substantially the same maximum pressure that was exerted in clamping the elements against the article. The elasticity of the bars 5 and 6 acts inthe same manner as the elasticity of the elastic partslt and 15 to bias the rods 2' and 8 when the bars interengage, but with a pressure that corresponds with the pressure used to press the bars against each other, or against an article located between the bars. When it is desired to release the article from the connector, the end portions of the rods; on the side of the ring remote from the bars, are moved toward each other by a relatively light pressure and the bars separate with a quick movement, that is, the connector snaps open and the rods snap through -the ring 20 and release the article. The pressure to release the rods from the ring may be applied on the-elastic parts or the ends of the rods at the points H and 118 or to portions of the rods intermediate the points ll and it and the ring.

When the ring is moved along the rods as the crossing point is changed, the ring is rotated by the relative movement of the rods in parallel planes located on opposite sides of the center of the ring and frictional engagement with the ring and, hence, the points on the ring, where positive engagement of the rods is produced, are constantly changing, which prevents localized wear.

The elastic members M- and it? may be connected together, as by the hook part 2i. Thus, the structure may be formed of a looped elastic rodbent to form the hook H, the rod or rigid parts i and 8, and the parts-iii and i5, whichmay be flattened to render them flexible. The ends of the looped rod may be secured to the bars 2 Hand i and be used for hanging garments, or

or connecting objects together.

the ends to which the clamping members are connected and located on the other side of the locking member for biasing the ends of the rigid parts in directions away from each other and the parts into engaging relation with the edges of the opening in the locking member.

2. In an article-engaging means, a pair of elements, each element having a rigid part and a resilient part connected to the rigid part, one end of each rigid part having an article-clamping member, the rigid parts curvedly extending crosswise, a ring surrounding the rigid parts at the point of crossing, the resilient parts operative to bias the portions of the rigid parts located on opposite sides of the ring in directions away from each other to cause engagement of the rigid parts with the ring, the rigid parts released from the ring by movement of the said por ions on either side of the ring counter to the directions in which they are biased by the said resilient partsand to correspondingly move the clamping members either toward or away from each other, and means for connecting the said resilient parts together.

3. In an article-engaging means; a pair of elements; each element having a rigid part; a resilient part connected to each rigid part; one end of each rigid part having an article-clamping member; the rigid parts-extending crosswise; a ring surrounding the rigid'parts at the point of crossing; the resilient parts operative to bias the portions of the rigid parts located on opposite sides of the ring in directions away from each other to cause engagement of the rigid parts with the ring; the rigid parts releasedfrom the ring by movement of the said-portions on either side of the ring counter to the directions in which they are biased by the said resilient parts and to correspondingly move the clamping members either toward or away from each other.

4:. In an article-engaging means; a. pair of clamping members; a ring; a pair of rigid parts extending crosswiseand through the ring at the point of crossing and connected to the clamping members; and an elastic means connected to the ends of the rigid parts and located on one side of the ring for pressing portions of the rigid parts on opposite sides of the ring awayfrom each other about the point of crossing to press the said portions against the opposite sides ofthe inner edge of the ring and maintain the clamping members in the position to which they may be placed relative to each other.

5. In an article-engaging means; a pair of rigid parts extending crosswise; article-engaging members connected to the parts; a ring surrounding the said parts at the. point of crossing and permitting sliding movements of said parts relative thereto; and means for biasing portions of the rigid parts, located on both sides of the ring, in directions away from each other to cause a locking engagement of the rigid parts with th inner edges of the ring releasable by pressure and movement of the rigid parts in directions counter to the bias produced by the said means.

CLAYTON W. HUFF. 

